MCAP knowledge library

Knowledge Library for Adaptation & Resilience

Subnational Governments in Mediterranean Bioregions

MCAP is growing its knowledge library of adaptation and resilience building measures for Mediterranean bioregions to better combat shared climate hazards and risks. Each practice has baseline information, Mediterranean contextualization, and the role subnational governments play in local implementation.

14practice themes

3priority hazards

1shared library

Explore

Find an approach for your context

Search across the MCAP site or browse the library by climate hazard, theme, detailed practice, and applied solution.

Browse by theme

Open a theme to read its working description and see the kinds of techniques that will be connected as the library grows.

Nature-Based Solutions

Use healthy ecosystems and natural processes to reduce climate risk while supporting biodiversity, water security, and community wellbeing.

Example techniques: Wetland and watershed restoration; green infrastructure; urban forests; nature-based coastal protection.

Protecting Species & Habitats

Protect, reconnect, and restore habitats so species can adapt to changing temperature, rainfall, fire, and coastal conditions.

Example techniques: Habitat connectivity; species recovery planning; ecological monitoring; invasive species management.

Hazard-Adapted Agriculture & Land Management

Align farming, forestry, grazing, and landscape stewardship with drought, wildfire, erosion, and ecosystem pressures.

Example techniques: Drought-tolerant crops; soil moisture conservation; regenerative agriculture; fuel and grazing management.

Integrated Resource Management

Coordinate water, land, energy, biodiversity, and infrastructure decisions across sectors and across the full resource cycle.

Example techniques: Integrated water management; watershed governance; reuse and circular systems; demand management.

Infrastructure Resilience

Plan, retrofit, and operate essential infrastructure so services remain safe and functional during climate extremes.

Example techniques: Asset risk assessment; redundancy; protective retrofits; climate-informed maintenance and investment.

Climate-Adapted Urban Design

Shape streets, public spaces, landscapes, and neighborhoods to reduce heat, flooding, water stress, and other localized hazards.

Example techniques: Shade networks; cool surfaces; permeable streets; blue-green corridors; climate-sensitive public realm design.

Resource-Efficient & Hazard-Safe Building Standards

Use building codes, retrofit programs, and design guidance to improve thermal safety, resource efficiency, and hazard resistance.

Example techniques: Passive cooling; water efficiency; fire-resistant materials; resilient retrofit standards.

Coordinated & Inclusive Planning / Multi-Jurisdictional Approaches

Bring agencies, communities, rights holders, and neighboring jurisdictions together around shared risks and implementation priorities.

Example techniques: Regional adaptation plans; inclusive governance; cross-agency protocols; basin and landscape-scale coordination.

Community Awareness & Adaptive Capacity

Build the knowledge, networks, and practical capacity communities need to prepare for and respond to changing climate conditions.

Example techniques: Public education; local resilience networks; training; participatory planning; support for vulnerable groups.

Prevention & Preparedness

Reduce exposure before emergencies occur through advance planning, maintenance, safeguards, and readiness measures.

Example techniques: Contingency planning; fuel reduction; water reserves; drills; continuity and evacuation preparation.

Emergency Response & Services

Coordinate people, information, and essential services during hazardous conditions to protect health, safety, and continuity.

Example techniques: Heat response protocols; cooling centers; evacuation support; emergency water and transport services.

Risk Mapping, Predictive Modeling / Forecasting & Early Detection

Combine observation, modeling, and local knowledge to understand where risks are emerging and who or what may be affected.

Example techniques: Hazard maps; remote sensing; scenario modeling; forecasting; environmental detection networks.

Early Warning Systems

Translate monitoring and forecasts into timely, trusted, and actionable alerts that reach institutions and communities.

Example techniques: Alert thresholds; last-mile communication; multilingual warnings; impact-based forecasting.

Public Transparency & Reporting

Make climate risk, decisions, investments, and progress understandable and accessible through open information and regular reporting.

Example techniques: Public dashboards; open data; adaptation indicators; implementation and equity reporting.

Practice pathways

Each individual practice page will include the concept, its relevance to Mediterranean bioregions, the role of subnational governments, linked solutions, and related tags.

Available framework

Nature-Based Solutions

Ecosystem-based measures for water retention, cooling, biodiversity, and coastal resilience.

Library pathway

Risk mapping & early detection

Evidence and tools that help subnational governments identify emerging risk and prioritize action.

Library pathway

Coordinated & inclusive planning

Governance approaches for shared hazards that cross agencies, communities, and jurisdictional boundaries.

From knowledge to implementation

Explore applied solutions

Connect library practices with projects, programs, research, and operational examples from Mediterranean-climate regions.